Take A Virtual Vacation With These 13 Exotic GIFs

Most of us spend our waking lives sat in an office in front of a monitor and yet the ultimate modern life destressor—a weekend getaway somewhere south of the equator—isn’t in everyone’s budget. So, why not take a metaphorical vacation with one of the internet’s most fascinating GIF artists?

The GIF Connoisseur, like some magnanimous online tour guide, helps internet surfers rediscover compelling GIFs by inserting a patron of the arts into their fold. The iconic man is none other than Norman Rockwell’s The Connoisseur who, like the GIFs he looks upon, has been repurposed for art’s sake.

Not all of the original artists whose GIFs get repurposed by The GIF Connoisseur are fans of his work but then again not all musicians whose work has been remixed into a hip-hop sample have approved artistically. Point is: we live in a remix culture that moves faster than people’s inhibitions but, like a good summer, it's all about exploring new planes of existence. The GIF Connoisseur simply wants to explore them with you.

Here are 13 places you should visit with the WWW’s leading GIF dilettante (complete with information on the original artists).

1. A Glitched-Out Rio de Janeiro

As part of 15 Fold’s ongoing and excellent GIF curatorial project, Berlin-based artist Kim Asendorf made a version of Rio you might find on an old NES system.

2. A Museum Of Shape-Shifting Sculptures

One of HatePlow’s GIFs from his series of classical sculptures reimagined. They all come Michelangelo-approved.

3. The Rolling Hills Of An 8-Bit World

Less Iconic is an ongoing blog of video game-themed GIFs that usually have an 8-bit lean. This one takes us through a safari exodus, game unknown.

4. A Land Where It Rains Flower Petals

Using bits and pieces from promotional media, Tumblr user SighTV makes GIFs that make your heart want to sing.

5. The Trippy Halls Of A German Palace

Artist Valentin, through his website Gifmovie, creates just that: GIFs made out of clips from movies that double as their own mini film. This particular one is taken from the 1962 Czechoslovakian film The Fabulous Baron Munchausen. 

6. That Corner Of The World Where Seas Collide

Another Gifmovie entry. This one isn’t credited to a film but looks like an ocean turned on its side, and mirror-imaged.

7. Behind Home Plate

Using MLB footage, Bonus Baseball turns a baseball player’s foul ball destruction of a camera into GIF galore.

8. The Stormy Grasslands Of A Street Fighter Background

Jack, from Sydney, takes images from games requested by users on his blog and converts them into crisp bitmap images.

9. Breathtaking Angle Only Pilots Get To See

David Dope takes one of the best moments from a time lapse of a 24-hr flight and makes it an always-looping sight to behold.

10. A Videogame Forest That Can’t Stand Still

Unless you get the spins easily, this looks like a lovely place to visit. Original GIF by 1JPS.

11. Under The Rain Of A 1950’s Flick

You can’t get more nostalgic than a good black-and-white downpour, created by Arabella.

12. The One And Only Campbell’s Soup GIF Factory

In 1989, the enhanced original version of the GIF format was called 89A. On this website, also called 89A, Matthew Lucas makes GIF animations like this one.

13.  A Tropical GIF

How’s this for tongue twisters? This is a GIF made by The GIF Connoisseur of an old GIF by Mr. GIF, that’s a GIF of a GIF.